Bidding for plate numbers 1 through 999 will begin on July 8 and continue through August 1, 2008. Closing times will vary by plate, so bidders should note ending time on the website. The minimum bid for plate numbers 1-10 will be $10,000; the minimum bid for plate numbers 11 – 100 will be $1000; and the minimum bid for plates 101 - 999 will be $100. If multiple bidders enter the same maximum bid, preference will be given to the individual who bid first.
All bids will be accepted online at www.capeandislandsplate.com and once bidders create an account, they can bid on multiple plates simultaneously. High bidders will be able to pick up their winning plate at the RMV branch of their choosing in late August.
“The committee has been working for several months to make this auction a reality and to finally make these highly desirable plates available to the public,” said Paul Rumul, Chairman of the Cape & Islands License Plate Committee. “We’re excited to kick off the bidding on July 8 and see which plates are most desirable to drivers. And while we certainly expect numbers one through ten to command top dollar, we encourage people to remember birthdays, anniversaries and other numbers which have personal meaning.”
Proceeds from the online auction will benefit several non-profit organizations that promote tourism and economic development Cape-wide. Beneficiaries include the Cape Cod Baseball League; the Lower Cape Cod Community Development Corporation; the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce; Barnstable County’s Economic Development Council; and the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
Wendy Northcross, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, and Cape & Islands License Plate Committee Member added that: “All the proceeds from this auction provide funds for visitor promotion and services as well as meaningful job creation, business assistance and workforce training programs here and on the islands.”
The plates, which have been in circulation since 1995, feature iconic imagery of Nauset Light in Eastham, along with the cliffs of Siasconset in Nantucket and Gay Head on Martha’s Vineyard. The Cape & Islands plates have continually been the highest selling specialty license plate in the state of Massachusetts, raising more than thirteen million dollars for Cape and Islands-based nonprofit organizations over the years.
For more information on the auction, visit www.capeandislandsplate.com.
